SPEECH and LANGUAGE
IMPAIRMENT
Definition
·
There
are many kinds of speech and language disorders that can affect children. In
this fact sheet, we’ll talk about four major areas in which these impairments
occur. These are the areas of:
o
Articulation | speech impairments where the
child produces sounds incorrectly (e.g., lisp, difficulty articulating certain
sounds, such as “l” or “r”);
o
Fluency | speech impairments where a
child’s flow of speech is disrupted by sounds, syllables, and words that are
repeated, prolonged, or avoided and where there may be silent blocks or
inappropriate inhalation, exhalation, or phonation patterns;
o
Voice | speech impairments where the
child’s voice has an abnormal quality to its pitch, resonance, or loudness; and
o
Language | language impairments where the
child has problems expressing needs, ideas, or information, and/or in
understanding what others say. (1)
·
Specific
words in IDEA
o
“(11) Speech or language impairment means a
communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language
impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child’s educational
performance.” [34 CFR §300.8(c)(11]
Characteristics
·
A
child's communication is considered delayed when the child is noticeably
behind his or her peers in the
acquisition of speech and/or language skills. Speech disorders refer
to difficulties producing speech sounds or problems with voice quality.
Characteristics may include:
o
interruption
in the flow or rhythm of speech such as stuttering (known as dysfluency);
o
trouble
forming sounds (called articulation or phonological disorders);
o
difficulties
with the pitch, volume, or quality of the voice;
o
trouble
using some speech sounds, such as saying "see" when they mean
"ski."
·
A
language disorder is an impairment in the ability to understand and/or use
words in context, both verbally and nonverbally. Characteristics include:
o
improper
use of words and their meanings;
o
inability
to express ideas;
o
inappropriate
grammatical patterns;
o
reduced
vocabulary and inability to follow directions
Strategies
·
Patience,
patience, patience
·
Accepting
and accommodating an individual’s speech and individual instruction
·
Encourage
the student to participate in classroom activities, giving her adequate time to
speak.
·
Create
an environment of acceptance and understanding in the classroom, and encourage
peers to accept the student with speech impairment
·
Practice
and maintain easy and effective communication skills:
o
model good listening skills,
o
facilitate participate of all students in discussion
and activites
·
Speak
to the student as you would with any other student.
·
Do
not interrupt or try to complete her thoughts. Ask her to repeat her message
when necessary; do not feign understanding.
·
When
introducing new vocabulary, help the student practice difficult words. Dividing
words into syllables and pronouncing each syllable will improve speech, reading
and writing.
·
Using
many different listening activities will also aid the student in comprehending
and determining her own production of sounds.
·
Have
the student answer “yes” or “no.”
Resources
Definitions
Characteristics
Strategies
Christopher
Baer, Laura Varela, Perrine Voisin
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